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Hurley, NY (August 11, 2005) � Best friends, designer fashions, and glamorous careers � a world where girls will discover how being a good friend, believing in yourself, and imagining you can be all you aspire to be is possible. Welcome to the world of Tyler Wentworth® and Friends � the stunning 16" fashion doll from an award-winning designer straight off of Fashion Avenue.

Robert Tonner, CEO and head designer of the Tonner Doll Company, Inc., an internationally-recognized collectible doll company, has been marketing his popular Tyler Wentworth fashion doll brand to doll collectors worldwide since 1999. With his background in fashion � he graduated from Parsons School of Design and spent time as head designer for Bill Blass � Tonner has built a doll line like no other. By using couture fabrics, trendy, yet timeless designs, and a storyline right out of a Hollywood movie, these dolls are sure to inspire girls everywhere to get out their drawing boards. "I imagine these dolls as real characters, and it's with that inspiration I design collections for their glamorous lives and adventures," said Tonner.

several Tyler dolls available at FAO
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The company has strategically teamed up with FAO Schwarz to launch the line for girl's ages 8 to 12 years � with exclusive fashions and accessories, a fun Club that will debut late summer 2005, and a new, interactive website that girls will love and of which moms will approve.

The Kids section of TylerWentworth.com

"Tyler has been a dream in the making for five years now," said Tonner. "While enjoying enormous success in the collectibles market, we felt the time was right to introduce Tyler and her friends to a whole new market. The doll's faces are truly beautiful, and the bodies are pose-able and realistic. The fashions and accessories add to the play value. It's about inspiration, creativity, and letting girls know they can achieve anything in life � and have fun doing it."

A sure sign that FAO believes in the line is the amount of stand-alone shelf space devoted to it. Noting its broad appeal to both collectors and girls alike, Mary Hennessey, FAO Director of Merchandising said, "The Tyler Wentworth fashion doll brand fills a gap between Barbie and higher-end collectible dolls, and fits in perfectly with our goal of offering consumers unique products not found elsewhere. Girls just seem to flock to the Tyler display � we couldn't be happier."

The Play Doll Industry is a $2 billion industry, with the dominant forces being Mattel's Barbie and MGA Entertainment's Bratz dolls. And although Tyler and her friends are a bit pricier, the basic doll sells for $50, they are well priced for the specialty store market. "The specialty market focuses on consumers looking for something unique and special," noted Mary Beth Jefferds, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Tonner. "Specialty consumers are expecting to pay a bit more for a high-quality toy that isn't found on every mass market store shelf."

At 16" the dolls are taller than the average fashion doll, which makes for ease of dressing. They have beautiful faces, with brush-able hair perfect for hours of styling fun, articulated bodies with unlimited posing possibilities, and a fashion wardrobe like no other.

The diverse line features fashion designer Tyler and her friends � Esme, an African-American who fits in modeling between her pre-med university classes; Carrie Chan, Asian-American and owner of a hot New York P.R. Agency; Sydney Chase, owner of the successful Chase Modeling Agency and Tyler's best friend; and Angelina Ruiz, a SoHo art gallery owner. And there's Tyler's boyfriend � Matt O'Neill, a financial wizard by day, and volunteer fireman by night. "We felt it was important to have a male fashion doll in the line � even though traditionally male dolls don't sell as well," notes Jefferds. "After all, Barbie had Ken."

With a background storyline to fuel her high-fashion designs � and every girl's fashion dreams � this line is poised for success. "I wanted to create a storyline with characters and people who have achieved success in life and are fashion conscience, friendly, compelling, and fun to be with," notes Tonner. "I think I've achieved all of that with Tyler and her friends � they're best friends, beautiful, successful, and they each have a great wardrobe. Who doesn't relate to that?"

Tyler Wentworth and Friends can be found on specialty store shelves, including FAO Schwarz, and other high-end specialty toy stores nationwide. The line features the above mentioned dolls, a whole world of fashion separates, perfectly matched accessories, and hours of high-fashion play for girls everywhere.

Headquartered in Hurley, New York, the Tonner Doll Company, Inc. develops and markets high quality collectible dolls like Betsy McCall™, Mary Englebreit™, Miss America Dolls™, Kitty Collier™, Effanbee Dolls, and the popular Tyler Wentworth® line of dolls and fashions.